ABSTRACT
A comparison of the data of NFHS-3, 4, and 5 reveals that the rising trend in Kerala has been towards an increase in obesity in its population, and by extension, an increase in non-communicable diseases, particularly in women. The prevalence of obesity in children too is also increasing. Causative factors are of course changing lifestyles, veering towards more sedentary pursuits (in work and entertainment) and changes in behaviour surrounding food consumption. A common thread in all these changes is the upward movement on the socio-economic ladder. Societies in transition due to improved health access, increased life expectancy, better financial conditions and change in livelihoods and consumption patterns will necessarily have to accost obesity and find ways and means of tackling it.
This chapter proposes to look at how issues of obesity have been dealt with by the women's community network of Kudumbashree in Kerala. It discusses the strategic relevance of the network in the dissemination of information, in influencing behaviour, engaging with specific vulnerable groups, tracking fitness levels at the micro level, creating opportunities for livelihoods and discourse surrounding wellness. The chapter will discuss specific programmes of Kudumbashree that have looked at health, wellness, and fitness; it will discuss how the nature of empowerment of women's communities has made women reclaim freedom and mobility; it will also examine the livelihood interventions that have had general and specific impact touching on this subject. The chapter will highlight specific testimonies and case studies. The interface with local governments and the space that is created for collaboration in health interventions relevant to local communities will also be discussed.
In conclusion, the chapter will argue that behaviour change is not a matter of IEC alone. It will make a case for investing in the strategic empowerment and resilience of vulnerable communities through continuously reinforcing their networks and for innovations in livelihood and social coping mechanisms on a regular basis as an important and necessary context setting for improved health outcomes.
